Akufo-Addo’s Executive Secretary drags NDC’s Sammy Gyamfi to the Police

Executive Secretary of President Akufo-Addo, is the person at the seat of government, who has hauled the National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) before the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police Service, The Herald , has been reliably informed.

Nana Asante Bediatuo, according to The Herald’s information from the Jubilee House, reported Sammy Gyamfi to the CID over a letter he reportedly posted on his social media handle Facebook several weeks ago.

The letter which has been described as fake, had Nana Asante Bediatuo, asking the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei Opare, to call an emergency meeting between the Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo-Marfo and the Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo to discuss the embarrassing US$1 million Kroll & Associates contract.

The Executive Secretary to the President, who per the report to the CID, is vehemently refuting ever writing the letter,  is asking the CID to deal with Mr Gyamfi for committing a cybercrime.

It is not clear, what charges are likely to be slapped on  the NDC Communication Director over the disputed letter if found to have been the author of the document, but the only reason behind the complaint is that Mr Gamfi, was the first to post the said document on his Facebook page before it went viral.

Earlier reports had said the invitation, followed a complaint made to the police by the Jubilee House without mentioning names.

A source at the investigative body, who earlier confirmed the invitation to Graphic Online on Wednesday evening, however, would not throw any more light on the alleged offence, except to say that Sammy Gyamfi, is being requested to assist in investigation into the complaint by the seat of government.

“We only said we would want to meet him on Friday”, said the source, which pleaded it was unable to say anything more

An invitation has since been extended to Sammy by the CID to appear before it, to answer questions, but he is yet to honour it.

Sources tell this paper, Mr Gyamfi and his lawyers, have agreed with the Police CID to appear before them tomorrow Saturday 21, 2019 at the Police headquarters, but media reports also say, he will be appearing on Monday, because he sought permission to write an examination.

Meanwhile, The Herald is reliably informed that the CID, has already gone to court to secure warrant tocompel the young lawyer and NDC communicator to hand over his phone for scrutiny. It is unclear, whether the court will grant the request by Police CID

Osafo-Marfo and Demelovo, have been on each other’s throat after Mr Domelovo alleged that the Senior Minister and the Finance Ministry, colluded to pay UK firm, Kroll and Associates Limited $1 million for no work done.

The UK firm in 2017, was contracted by the Senior Minister, to investigate officials of the John Mahama administration over alleged assets, stolen funds and others to assist in criminal prosecution by the Akufo-Addo government.

Dr. Stephen Opuni of Ghana Cocoa Board and ex-Finance Minister Dr. KwabenaDuffour have beenname as some of the Mahama officials that Kroll Associates investigated.
But the Auditor General’s outfit revealed that after audit, there was no evidence of work done by Kroll Associates Limited and yet, huge sums of the taxpayer’s money was paid to the company whose officials The Herald learnt are constantly inside the Jubilee House.

After some back and forth and schemes to oust the A-G, Senior Minister, Yaw OsafoMaafo has instructed his lawyers to commence legal processes against Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo for the wrongful surcharge on him.

In a statement signed and released on Wednesday, December 11, 2019, the Mr. OsafoMaafo said: “The evidence available shows clearly that the Auditor-General erred in law and professional procedures in the exercise of his powers regarding his audit on payments to Kroll and Associates Limited.”

He also added that the courts will afford him [OsafoMaafo] the chance to clear his name for allegedly paying $1 million to a UK firm without evidence of work done.

But the AG’s outfit revealed that after an audit, there was no evidence of work done by Kroll Associates and yet, huge sums of the taxpayer’s monies were paid to the company.

Mr. Osafo-Maafo in an earlier statement issued in October explained that Kroll Associates carried out the job they were supposed to, and that there was enough evidence of work done. But A-G, Domelovo subsequently imposed a disallowance and surcharge Mr. Osafo-Maafo.

In September 2019, the government said the Mr. Domelovo failed to go through the constitutional practice before coming out publicly on the matter. Later, an unknown petitioner popped up demanding the investigation and possible sacking of the Mr. Domelevo for purchasing some vehicles for the Audit Service.

Meanwhile several civil society groups involved anti-corruption as well as ambassadors of seceral foreign countries have expressed worry over the attempt by the government to oust the Auditor General by all means possible.

The Auditor General who recently won an integrity award by the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), has saved Ghana, a staggering amount of GH¢5.4 billion.

In 2018, President Akufo-Addo acknowledged the huge savings that the Auditor-General has made to Ghana and many are wondering what changed since then.

Source: theheraldghana.com